'Greens to Gourmet' Cookery Competition

16 - Sep - 2015

Our ‘Greens to Gourmet’ Culinary Challenge

Busy Bees Training are inviting secondary school students from across Birmingham to don their chef whites and put their culinary skills to the test for our ‘Greens to Gourmet’ Cookery Challenge, backed by award winning chef Luke Tipping from Michelin-starred restaurant Simpsons.

During the week commencing 5th October, we are asking year 11 Food Technology students to prepare a delicious meal from one of two mystery bags, which will be filled with healthy, seasonal ingredients.

The shortlisted dishes will go on to the semi-finals during November, held at Harbourne Food School, before going onto the final round on the 19th November, where an expert panel will decide the overall winner. Chef Director at Simpsons, Luke Tipping, will form part of the judging team with the winning young chef invited to enjoy an all-expenses paid meal for four at Simpsons.*

Talking about his involvement, Luke Tipping said: “Our industry needs more chefs and I’m proud to be involved in initiatives that encourage young people to pursue a career in catering. Simpsons has been a training ground for many great local chefs and we are committed to nurturing the skills of young people. I’m looking forward to sampling the creations in the final and maybe even spotting some new chef talent.”

Explaining the motivation behind the competition, Training Manager at Busy Bees, Fay Gibbin said: “Busy Bees Training currently offers catering apprenticeships throughout our nurseries, and will soon offer to external independent settings, so we know the level of creativity and passion young people can bring to the industry. We want to encourage the spark of interest Food Technology students have in catering, and offer them the chance to take part in a fun and creative activity that will provide them with an exciting learning experience.

“We really are hoping Busy Bees ‘Greens to Gourmet’ competition will help inspire young people in Birmingham to pursue their passion for food and cookery, while offering them the opportunity to extend their learning beyond the classroom and provide them with a platform to represent their schools at regional level, while advancing and showcasing their culinary cleverness.”